Heterodimerization of two pore domain K+ channel TASK1 and TALK2 in living heterologous expression systems

PLoS One. 2017 Oct 10;12(10):e0186252. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186252. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Two-pore-domain K+ (K2P) channels sense a wide variety of stimuli such as mechanical stress, inhalational anesthetics, and changes in extracellular pH or temperature. The K2P channel activity forms a background K+ current and, thereby, contributes to resting membrane potentials. Six subfamilies including fifteen subtypes of K2P channels have been identified. Each K2P channel molecule with two pores consists of a homodimer of each subtype. In addition, a few heterodimers mainly within the same subfamilies have been found recently. In the present study, the possibility of heterodimerization between TASK1 (TWIK-Related Acid-Sensitive K+ channel) and TALK2 (TWIK-Related Alkaline pH-Activated K+ channel) was examined. These channels belong to separate subfamilies and show extremely different channel properties. Surprisingly, single molecular imaging analyses in this study using a total internal reflection microscope suggested the heterodimerization of TASK1 and TALK2 in a pancreatic cell line, QGP-1. This heterodimer was also detected using a bimolecular fluorescence complementation assay in a HEK293 heterologous expression system. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer analyses showed that the affinity between TASK1 and TALK2 appeared to be close to those of homodimers. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings revealed that TASK1 currents in HEK293 cells were significantly attenuated by co-expression of a dominant-negative form of TALK2 in comparison with that of wild-type TALK2. The sensitivities of TASK1-TALK2 tandem constructs to extracellular pH and halothane were characterized as a unique hybrid of TASK1 and TALK2. These results suggested that heterodimerization of TASK1 and TALK2 provides cells with the ability to make multiple responses to a variety of physiological and pharmacological stimuli.

MeSH terms

  • Anesthetics, Inhalation / pharmacology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer
  • Gene Expression
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Halothane / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Insulin-Secreting Cells / cytology
  • Insulin-Secreting Cells / drug effects
  • Insulin-Secreting Cells / metabolism*
  • Membrane Potentials / drug effects
  • Membrane Potentials / physiology*
  • Molecular Imaging
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / agonists
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / chemistry
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics*
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
  • Patch-Clamp Techniques
  • Potassium Channels, Tandem Pore Domain / agonists
  • Potassium Channels, Tandem Pore Domain / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Potassium Channels, Tandem Pore Domain / chemistry
  • Potassium Channels, Tandem Pore Domain / genetics*
  • Potassium Channels, Tandem Pore Domain / metabolism
  • Protein Domains
  • Protein Multimerization*
  • Single Molecule Imaging
  • Transgenes

Substances

  • Anesthetics, Inhalation
  • KCNK17 protein, human
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Potassium Channels, Tandem Pore Domain
  • potassium channel subfamily K member 3
  • Halothane

Grants and funding

This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI [https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/] Grant Numbers, 16H06215 and 16K15127 to Y.S., 16K08278 and 17H05537 to H.Y. 26293021 and 16K15128 to Y.I. This work was also supported by a Grant-in-Aid from Takeda Science Foundation [http://www.takeda-sci.or.jp/] (to Y.S.), Salt Science Research Foundation [Grant 1637, http://www.saltscience.or.jp/english.html] (to Y.S.), the Nakatomi Foundation [https://www.nakatomi.or.jp/en/index.html] (to Y.S.) and The Uehara Memorial Foundation [http://www.ueharazaidan.or.jp/] (to Y.S.). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.